METAL fencing has gone up outside the Iran Embassy two days after jailed charity worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s husband launched a hunger strike protest.

Richard Ratcliffe, who lives in West Hampstead, said he had been forced to take drastic action against his wife’s continued imprisonment in Tehran.

He slept overnight in a tent set-up near the embassy’s entrance in Exhibition Road, Kensington, on Saturday and Sunday.

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe – who was jailed for five years in September2016 after being convicted of vague spying charges, which she denies – also launched a hunger strike on the same day.

Linda Grove, a supporter of Nazanin who took the photo of the fencing being put up today (Monday), said: “Friends and neighbours please come and join Richard and show your support for the family while they are in hunger strike.”

Richard and Nazanin before her arrest

Mr Ratcliffe, who has not seen his wife face to face since she was detained in April 2016, said it was important the hunger strike did not go “to the bitter end” because of their five-year-old daughter, Gabriella, who is also unable to leave Iran.

Iran’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Hamid Baeidinejad, complained that the protest had blocked the doorway to the embassy.

In a tweet on Saturday, he said: “A few demonstrators continue to block today sole entrance of Iran’s Embassy in London and prevented the diplomats to enter into the building. Saturdays and Sundays are working days in Iran and diplomatic staff arrange some parts of their work with their capital in these two days.”